1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to the use of an intragastric balloon and similar fluid-filled objects in treating obesity, and more particularly, to the devices and systems for endoscopical deflating and removing or retrieving such intragastric balloons and/or other fluid-filled objects from the stomachs of patients.
2. Relevant Background
Intragastric balloons, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,061 or other balloons and objects commercially available, are designed for providing short-term therapy for moderately obese individuals who need to shed pounds in preparation for surgery or as part of a dietary and behavioral modification program. A challenge with such balloons or fluid-filled objects is their removal after completion of therapy.
A typical intragastric balloon is a made of a silicone elastomer shell that is inserted into the stomach of a patient and then filled with fluid. For example, commercially available intragastric balloons are filled with saline solution or air but other fluids may be used in some situations. The intragastric balloon functions by partially filling the stomach, which enhances appetite control. Placement and filling of the intragastric balloon is completed non-surgically with a surgeon or doctor using an endoscope, gastroscope, or other device that is adapted for viewing internal cavities of a patient and with lumen or hollow channels for passing the retrieval instruments. Placement of intragastric balloons is temporary, and intragastric balloons are typically removed after six to twelve months.
Historically, endoscopic deflation and extraction of intragastric balloons has been an arduous task due to the difficulty associated with manipulating the balloon within the stomach. One method of removing the balloon involves several steps, each with its own tool. A sharp-ended puncture device, sometimes called a “killer,” is inserted through the working channel of an endoscope to puncture the balloon. The puncture device is then removed, and the saline solution is either allowed to enter the stomach cavity, or removed via an aspiration tube inserted through the working channel and into the balloon. Finally, a grasping device or “grasper” having prongs, teeth, or a wire loop is inserted through the working channel to snag or snare the outside surfaces of the balloon. Once the outside of the balloon is hooked or grasped, the grasping device is used to pull the balloon through the esophagus as the gastroscope is removed. Other tools have been developed that provide a single tool that can pierce the balloon's shell, evacuate the fluid to deflate the balloon, and grasp or hook the outer surfaces of the balloon.
Even with these efforts, the retrieval of untethered intragastric balloons or other fluid-filled objects from a patient's stomach continues to present problems and can be a difficult task. The outer surface of the balloons is coated with gastric fluids in the stomach and tends to be very slippery or slick, which makes it difficult for even a relatively sharp grasper tool to grasp the balloon. One technique for addressing this issue is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,061 and includes providing a retrieval tab on the outer surface of the balloon. A tool with a hook, loop, or snare then has to be latched onto the tab to allow retrieval. This technique has not been widely adopted as it requires specially manufactured balloons or objects with the external tab and also requires that the balloon be manipulated within the patient's stomach to find and align the tab with the hook on the removal tool, and this is often difficult to perform endoscopically (e.g., with limited tool dexterity and in limited visibility and light provided by the endoscope).
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an endoscopic device for removing an intragastric balloon in which the above mentioned disadvantages are substantially overcome.
Hence, there remains a need for an improved tool for supporting deflation and retrieval of intragastric balloons and other fluid-filled objects from the stomach of patients. Preferably, such a tool would be useful with existing medical systems or tools such as endoscopes and would provide quicker and more effective grasping or capture of the balloon or object to better support out-patient procedures.